This invention is directed generally to a mechanism for alerting a personal computer user that an alert has been generated by a service provider in response to parameters previously set by the user. This invention is more specifically directed to alerting such a personal computer user by displaying an alert message on the cable television screen of the user.
Personal computer users are now served by a plurality of enhanced service providers which provide gateways to databases containing information on a plurality of subjects. Typically, the personal computer user utilizes a dial-up modem over the public switched telephone network to access a gateway to a database containing information which is sought. The user may specify certain parameters which will alert the service provider to send a message notifying the user that the parameters have been met. For example, a user may request that notification be given when a stock reaches a certain sales price. The user may act upon this information to either initiate a purchase or a sale of the subject stock.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,268, a control system for addressable cable television is disclosed which permits the transmission of data using a video format. Data is transmitted in a video format during the vertical blanking interval of a normal television signal.
An interactive videotex system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,718 wherein users are provided with an increased speed of delivery of information. A plurality of nodes is distributed along a cable TV system wherein each node serves a relatively small group of users and contains in its memory substantially all information needed to communicate with users. A central computer or processing center provides data to the regional nodes and provides updates for information stored at the nodes. Thus, a relatively small group of users is supported by each node and thereby provides increased speed in which information can be delivered to the user.
Broadband RF signals are combined with baseband signals on a single distribution cable as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,267. RF signals above 35 megahertz are simultaneously present with baseband signal below 25 megahertz on a single cable. From a single personal computer node, baseband signals are propagated in both directions while permitting the RF signals to propagate only in a single direction from the RF head-end equipment.
A hybrid access system has been proposed to provide remote computer users with a high-speed (10 megabits per second) access to the Internet network for high-speed downstream data transfer to the users while simultaneously permitting independent lower speed upstream channels to be utilized to transmit user requests for information. It is understood that such a product has been marketed by Hybrid Networks, Inc.
Cable modems operating at up to 10 megabits per second over cable television cables are available from Zenith Electronics and General Instrument Corporation. Thus, there exists a capability for encoding conventional digital information over a cable television channel.
An alerting system is easily implemented where a modem link between the user and the service provider is in existence thereby, allowing the service provider merely to provide an alert message to the user which will show up on the monitor associated with the user's personal computer. In circumstances in which the dial-up modem link is not established, the enhanced service provider may initiate a call to the user's telephone number, assuming that the user's modem will autoanswer and that the user's personal computer will be active to run a communication program to accept the desired information. In such a circumstance, an alert message can be transmitted through the public switched telephone network to the user's personal computer in which an alert can be placed on the screen of the user's monitor waiting for the user to return to the personal computer. However, it will be apparent that this situation may not provide the anticipated result of alerting the user if the user does not return to the personal computer for an extended time. Thus, there exists a need for an improved system of providing an alert to the user of a personal computer which has a greater likelihood of providing effective notification.